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152-750: The RiverDogs were founded in 1980 as the Charleston Royals and were a farm team of the Kansas City Royals . In their first season as the Royals, they won the South Atlantic League's Southern Division championship, but fell in the playoffs against Greensboro. Like the Pirates, the Royals were known for their pitching, because in 1981 pitcher Jeffery Gladden led the league with a 2.09 ERA. In 1982 batting may have caught up with

304-419: A Glock 41 .45-caliber handgun on a group of people inside the church at a Bible study attended by Pinckney. He had first attended the meeting as a participant that evening. Roof then fled the scene. He had been carrying eight magazines holding hollow-point bullets . The event was finished by about 9:11 p.m. During the hour preceding the attack, 13 people including the shooter participated in

456-436: A "Dylann Roof" on February 9, 2015. The website included what appeared to be an unsigned manifesto containing Roof's opinions of "Blacks", "Jews", "Hispanics" and "East Asians", as well a cache of photos, including an image of Roof posing with a handgun and a Confederate Battle Flag . In this manifesto, Roof says he became "racially aware" as a result of the 2012 killing of Trayvon Martin , writing that when he learned about

608-536: A 13–5 record in interleague play, the best in the American League. The team finished the season in fourth place in the division with a 75–87 record. Prior to the 2009 season, the Royals renovated Kauffman Stadium, and after the season began, the Royals ended April at the top of the AL Central, both of which raised excitement levels among fans. However, the team faded as the season progressed and finished

760-549: A 20-year championship drought. However, the next year, the Rebels posted a losing record. 1947 started out with a bang as the Rebels were promoted to Class A and drew 184,851 fans in the season, a Charleston baseball record that stood until 1997. After all the excitement from the 1947 season, the Rebels went out and won the South Atlantic League Championship for the second time in seven years in 1948,

912-621: A 7–3 deficit in the eighth. The Royals then swept the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in the 2014 American League Division Series . In Game 1 of the ALDS, the score was 2–2 going into the 11th inning, when Mike Moustakas hit a game-winning solo home run. The next day, Kansas City beat the Angels 4–1 in another extra-innings affair, in the process setting an MLB postseason record of three straight extra-inning wins. The Royals then completed

1064-462: A baseball team that consistently loses millions of dollars and had little prospect of making money because it was in a small city." If no owner could be found the Kauffman restrictions were to end on January 1, 2002, and the team was to be sold to the highest bidder. In 1999, New York City lawyer and minor league baseball owner Miles Prentice , vowing not to move the team, bid $ 75 million for

1216-717: A ceremony commemorating the victims and they proclaimed that the attack would not divide the community. Another such ceremony occurred at the TD Arena in the College of Charleston . On June 21, four days after the shooting, Emanuel AME Church reopened for its Sunday worship service. The Rev. Dr. Norvel Goff Sr., Presiding Elder of Emanuel AME Church, delivered the sermon. On June 25, 2015, at Emanuel AME Church, funerals were held for victims Ethel Lance and Sharonda Coleman-Singleton and they were attended by several political figures and civil rights leaders. Clementa Pinckney's funeral

1368-432: A commitment to public health and non-violence. Some criticism has been aimed towards the community's forgiveness of Roof. The Black Lives Matter movement has protested against the shooting. Questions were raised about the security of black churches (as well as the security of churches in general) and their long-standing practice of welcoming anyone who is willing to pray (as most Christian churches are, regardless of

1520-431: A devastating hip injury while playing football in the off-season, so the Royals waived him during spring training in 1991. Though the team dropped out of contention from 1990 to 1992, the Royals still could generally be counted on to post winning records through the strike-shortened 1994 season . With no playoff appearances despite the winning records during this era, many of the team's highlights instead centered around

1672-511: A dubious franchise record during the season, allowing 42 runs in a three-day span from July 25 to 27. The Royals began 2011 with a hot start, compiling 10–4 record after 14 games, but success faded as the season progressed. The Royals last had a .500 record at 22–22, and by the All-Star break, the Royals had a record of 37–54, the worst in the American League. Almost all of the Royals' bullpen was made up of 2011 minor league call ups, in addition to

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1824-477: A federal judge denied a motion by Roof's defense team to delay Roof's trial. The decision to seek the death penalty for Roof was a campaign topic in the 2016 Democratic presidential primaries , with Hillary Clinton supporting the Justice Department's decision and Bernie Sanders opposing it. In November 2016, Roof was declared competent to stand trial for the crimes. In January 2017, following

1976-485: A jacket decorated with two emblems popular among American white supremacists : the flag of the former Rhodesia (now known as Zimbabwe ) and the flag of apartheid-era South Africa . Roof reportedly told friends and neighbors he intended to kill people, including a plot to attack the College of Charleston , but his claims were not taken seriously. On June 20, bloggers discovered a website called "The Last Rhodesian" (www.lastrhodesian.com); it had been registered to

2128-580: A member club of the American League (AL) Central Division . The team was founded as an expansion franchise in 1969, and have made four World Series trips, winning in 1985 and 2015 , and losing in 1980 and 2014 . Outside of a dominant 10-year stretch between 1976 and 1985, and a brief, albeit dominant, resurgence from 2013 to 2015, the Royals have combined for a bottom-ten all time winning percentage in MLB history. The name "Royals" pays homage to

2280-691: A name for themselves in Major League Baseball , including: B. J. Upton , Carl Crawford , Rocco Baldelli , Delmon Young , Seth McClung , Josh Hamilton , Toby Hall , Aubrey Huff , Aaron Judge , Danny Burawa , Phil Hughes , David Robertson , Gary Sánchez , Austin Jackson , John Axford , Phil Coke , Eduardo Núñez and Fernando Tatís who all played for the RiverDogs; Sandy Alomar Jr. , Roberto Alomar , Carlos Baerga , Homer Bush , Joey Hamilton , and Rich Loiselle , who played for

2432-450: A person's freedom of religion ), with 18 of the charges carrying the federal death penalty. On July 31, Roof pleaded not guilty to the federal charges, based on the advice of his lawyer David Bruck . Bruck earlier said Roof wanted to plead guilty, but he couldn't advise it without knowing the government's intentions. On September 3, Ninth Circuit solicitor (i.e., district attorney ) Scarlett Wilson announced that she intended to seek

2584-425: A powerhouse, appearing in the playoffs seven times from 1976 to 1985, winning one World Series championship and another AL pennant , led by stars such as Amos Otis , Hal McRae , John Mayberry , George Brett , Frank White , Willie Wilson , and Bret Saberhagen . The team remained competitive throughout the early 1990s, but then had only one winning season from 1995 to 2012. For 28 consecutive seasons (1986–2013),

2736-595: A record for the most consecutive winning seasons (a record that stood since 1919) in Charleston baseball history. The downside to 2008 was the third straight season the Riverdogs failed to make the playoffs – despite having the best record in the Southern Division each season, they never held the division lead at the end of a half-season to claim a playoff spot. The 2009 season saw the Riverdogs finish with

2888-526: A reputation as one of the American League West's top teams throughout the late 1980s. The club posted a winning record in three of the four seasons following its 1985 World Series championship , while developing young stars such as Bo Jackson , Tom Gordon , and Kevin Seitzer . The Royals finished the 1989 season with a 92–70 record (third-best in the major leagues) but did not qualify for

3040-406: A return to winning records. For most of the 2013 season , the Royals hovered near .500. The team also did not commit an error in its first seven games (for 64 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings) for the first time in team history. On September 22, the Royals won their 82nd game of the season to clinch the franchise's first winning season since 2003. The Royals finished the season 86–76 and in third place in

3192-549: A second competency evaluation, Roof was again deemed competent. Roof's trial began on December 7, 2016; witnesses gave testimony describing the shooting in graphic detail. On December 15, 2016, Roof was found guilty of all 33 federal charges against him. For the sentencing phase of the federal trial, Roof dismissed his attorneys and insisted on representing himself. In a statement to the court at his sentencing hearing on January 4, 2017, Roof offered no apology or explanation, saying "There's nothing wrong with me psychologically." At

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3344-456: A slave rebellion in Charleston in 1822, 35 people, including Vesey, were hanged and the church was burned down. Charleston citizens accepted the claim that a slave rebellion was expected to begin at the stroke of midnight on June 16, 1822, and it was expected to erupt the following day (the shooting in 2015 occurred on the 193rd anniversary of the thwarted uprising). As the rebuilt church was formally shuttered with other all-black congregations by

3496-472: A strong farm system and developed future star pitchers Paul Splittorff , Dennis Leonard , and Steve Busby , infielders George Brett and Frank White , and outfielder Al Cowens . Under these young players, the Royals built a core set up for future success. In 1971, the Royals had their first winning season, with manager Bob Lemon leading them to a second-place finish. In 1973, under manager Jack McKeon ,

3648-411: A week of each other. The team subsequently fell apart completely, losing 104 games and breaking the franchise record set just two years earlier. The Royals did, however, see promising seasons from two rookies, center fielder David DeJesus and starting pitcher Zack Greinke . The team continued a youth movement in 2005, but finished with a 56–106 record (.346), a full 43 games out of first place, marking

3800-626: A winning record again. In the first half the Riverdogs came up a game short to their arch-rival Greenville Drive , who are affiliated to the Boston Red Sox and never posed as a threat in the second half failing to make the playoffs for the fourth straight year. After posting a 232–186 record, Riverdogs manager Torre Tyson was named the Tampa Yankees manager in High A baseball. The RiverDogs were quick to name hitting coach Greg Colbrunn as

3952-527: Is a trophy of power, white women embodied virtue and morality, they signified whiteness and white superiority, so sexual access to white women was possessing the ultimate privilege that white men held. It views women as trophies which are to be traded among men." Jamelle Bouie wrote in Slate , "Make any list of anti-black terrorism in the United States, and you'll also have a list of attacks justified by

4104-696: Is expected to give children easier access to books. By July 2, the last of the victims, Daniel Simmons, was buried. Nine artists from across the United States created portraits of the victims as a tribute to them. The portraits were put on display at the Principle Gallery for one month, and afterwards, they were given to the victims' families. The artists who were involved in the memorial included Ricky Mujica, Mario Andres Robinson, Lauren Tilden, Paul McCormack, Gregory Mortenson, Catherine Prescott, Terry Strickland, Judy Takács , and Stephanie Deshpande . South Carolina portrait artist Larry Francis Lebby

4256-494: Is probably the oldest racist trope we have in the U.S." According to Beirich, this trope is related to a myth of Southern culture , because in fact, African-American women had been much more frequently abused by white men. Lisa Lindquist-Dorr, associate professor at the University of Alabama , said that the myth of black rapists had dominated the imaginations of white, Southern men, who believed that "Sexual access to women

4408-527: Is the oldest African Methodist Episcopal Church in the South , often referred to as "Mother Emanuel". The AME Church was founded by Richard Allen in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania , in 1814 as the first independent black denomination. It is a historically black congregation , one of the oldest south of Baltimore . When one of the church's co-founders, Denmark Vesey , was suspected of plotting to launch

4560-473: The 2015 World Series – the first championship for the Royals since 1985 – beating the New York Mets four games to one. The Royals entered the 2015 All-Star break with the best record in the American League at 52–34. The team continued its momentum into the second half of the season, and on July 26, Royals management traded three prospects Brandon Finnegan , John Lamb Archived April 7, 2016, at

4712-672: The ALDS . Down 2–1 in the series and trailing 6–2 in the 8th inning of Game 4, the Royals rallied for 5 runs en route to a 9–6 win before Cueto's gem in Game 5 powered the Royals to a second consecutive ALCS . The Royals defeated the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 6, to win the 2015 ALCS and earn a trip to face the New York Mets in the 2015 World Series . Charleston church shooting The Charleston church shooting , also known as

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4864-672: The American Royal , a livestock show, horse show, rodeo, and championship barbecue competition held annually in Kansas City since 1899, as well as the identical names of two former Negro league baseball teams that played in the first half of the 20th century (one was a semi-pro team based in Kansas City in the 1910s and 1920s that toured the Midwest and the other was a California Winter League team based in Los Angeles in

5016-694: The Charleston church massacre , was an anti-black mass shooting and hate crime that occurred on June 17, 2015, in Charleston, South Carolina . Nine people were killed, and one was injured, during a Bible study at the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church , the oldest black church in the Southern United States . Among the fatalities was the senior pastor, state senator Clementa C. Pinckney . All ten victims were African Americans . At

5168-576: The Federal Bureau of Investigation and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives were called in to assist in the investigation and manhunt. On the morning after the attack, police received a tip-off from a woman who recognized Roof and his car, a black Hyundai Elantra with South Carolina license plates and a three-flag "Confederate States of America" bumper decoration, on U.S. Route 74 , recalling security camera images taken at

5320-491: The Good Samaritan Waverly Hospital would include a memorial that will prominently feature the names of Clementa C. Pinckney and the other eight individuals slain at Emanual African Methodist Episcopal Church in 2015. Pinckney was a graduate of Allen University. Two other Charleston Church Shooting victims, Tywanza Sanders and Rev. Daniel L. Simmons Sr., were also Allen University graduates. At

5472-558: The Kansas City Athletics moved to Oakland after the 1967 season , Kansas City was left without major league baseball or, for the first time since 1883, professional baseball at all. The team was led by Charlie Finley , who explored many elaborate relocation plans and essentially shunned Kansas City before the team even relocated. An enraged Senator Stuart Symington of Missouri threatened to introduce legislation removing baseball's antitrust exemption unless Kansas City

5624-503: The Ku Klux Klan (KKK) killed four black girls and injured fourteen others, during the civil rights movement. This attack galvanized support for federal civil rights legislation. Numerous scholars, journalists, activists and politicians have emphasized their belief that the attack should not be treated as an isolated event because in their view, it occurred within the broader context of racism against Black Americans and racism in

5776-593: The NL Central in 1998, replaced by the Detroit Tigers that moved from the AL East. At the start of the 1990s, the Royals had been hit with a double-whammy when General Manager John Schuerholz departed in 1990 and team owner Ewing Kauffman died in 1993. Shortly before Kauffman's death, he set up an unprecedented complex succession plan to keep the team in Kansas City. The team was donated at his death to

5928-719: The Royals defeated the Minnesota Twins 4–3 in 12 innings. The Royals went 69–93 in their first season, highlighted by Lou Piniella , who won the AL Rookie of the Year Award . The team was quickly built through a number of trades engineered by its first General Manager, Cedric Tallis , who picked up center fielder Amos Otis , who became the team's first star, first baseman John Mayberry , who provided power, second baseman Cookie Rojas , shortstop Fred Patek , and designated hitter Hal McRae . The Royals also invested in

6080-610: The Wayback Machine , and Cody Reed for 2014 All-Star pitcher Johnny Cueto to help bolster its starting pitching rotation, as well as trading two pitchers to the Oakland Athletics for super-utility player Ben Zobrist . The team ended the regular season with a record of 95–67, the best in the entire American League, and the organization's best record since 1980 . The Royals faced the Houston Astros in

6232-699: The White Sox failed to post consecutive winning seasons. In 1973, the Charleston Pirates were born, who were affiliated with the Pittsburgh Pirates , and for the first time since 1893 were playing in a league other than the South Atlantic League, they were in the Western Carolinas League . As the Pirates, Charleston excelled in pitching as in 1973 John Candelaria led the league with a 10–2 record. The following year,

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6384-449: The death penalty against Roof in the state proceedings, based on more than two people being killed in the shooting and others' lives put at risk. On September 16, Roof said through his attorney that he was willing to plead guilty in exchange for a sentence of life in prison without parole. On October 1, the federal trial was pushed back to at least January 2016 to give prosecutors and Roof's attorneys more time to prepare. On December 1,

6536-481: The shooting of Walter Scott by a white police officer two months earlier, in nearby North Charleston . As a state senator , Pinckney pushed for legislation requiring police to wear body cameras . Several commentators noted that a similarity existed between the massacre at Emanuel AME and the 1963 16th Street Baptist Church bombing of a politically active African-American church in Birmingham, Alabama , where

6688-489: The "out" sign, disallowing the home run. Enraged, Brett stormed out of the dugout toward McClelland and Martin, and McClelland ejected Brett. The homer was later reinstated by AL President Lee MacPhail , and the Royals won the game after it was resumed several weeks later. The 1983 season was also notable for some transitional changes in the Royals organization. First, owner Ewing Kauffman sold 49% of his interest to Memphis developer Avron Fogelman . Second, John Schuerholz

6840-529: The 15th manager in franchise history. The 2008 season began with the release of fan-favorite Mike Sweeney and the trade of Ángel Berroa to the Dodgers. Through 13 games in 2008, the Royals were 8–5 and in first place in the AL Central , a vast improvement over their start from the previous season. However, by the All-Star break, the Royals were again in losing territory, with their record buoyed only by

6992-638: The 1885 Southern League Champions, the Atlanta Atlantas. The Seagulls would lose this game as well 4 to 6. The 1886 season ended after the earthquake that occurred on August 31. The Seagulls would finish just under 50% with a 44–49 record. Starting in 1920, the Gulls became the Palmettos , however, later that year that name was shortened to the Pals while Charleston was promoted to "Class B". In 1922,

7144-629: The 1940s that was managed by Chet Brewer and included Satchel Paige and Jackie Robinson on its roster). The Los Angeles team had personnel connections to the Monarchs but could not use the Monarchs name. The name also fits into something of a theme for other professional sports franchises in the city, including the Kansas City Chiefs of the NFL, the former Kansas City Kings of the NBA, and

7296-490: The 2006 season, including Doug Mientkiewicz , Mark Grudzielanek , Joe Mays and Scott Elarton . Nevertheless, the Royals struggled through another 100-loss season in 2006, becoming just the eleventh team in major league history to lose 100 games in three straight seasons. During the season Baird was fired as GM and replaced by Dayton Moore . Kansas City entered the 2007 season looking to rebound from four out of five seasons ending with at least 100 losses. The Royals outbid

7448-543: The 2014 season, the Royals had the longest playoff drought of any team in the four main American professional sports leagues (NFL, MLB, NHL, and NBA). On July 21, 2014, the Royals had a losing record (48–50) and were eight games behind the Detroit Tigers in the AL Central standings. But spurred by a 22–5 record from July 22 to August 19 coinciding with a mediocre 12–15 stretch by the Tigers, the team surged into first place in

7600-675: The 2019 historical marker unveiling at the Dr. Cyril O. Spann Medical Office in Columbia, South Carolina, a planting and dedication ceremony for a Tree of Peace and Resistance held that day in conjunction with the Visanska Starks House recognized actions of mutual support between members of Emanual African Methodist Episcopal Church and Tree of Life _ Or L'Simcha Congregation after the Pittsburgh synogogue shooting , and expressed

7752-534: The AL Central, securing the team's best winning percentage since 1994. The 2014 season featured a return to the postseason for the first time in 29 years, and what would unfold as a historic playoff run from the Wild Card all the way to the 2014 World Series . Anchored by the "HDH" trio of Kelvin Herrera , Wade Davis , and Greg Holland , the bullpen became one of the most dominant in MLB history. Entering

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7904-616: The AL Central. He was named the American League Manager of the Year for his efforts and shortstop Ángel Berroa was named AL Rookie of the Year . From the 2004 season through the 2012 season , the Royals posted nine consecutive losing records, the longest streak in team history. In six of those seasons, the team finished in last place in the American League Central, and in eight of those nine seasons

8056-411: The AL Central. The 2012 team saw more of the same, as they improved by one game to 72–90, but finished one spot better in the division. The 2012 Major League Baseball All-Star Game was hosted by the Royals at Kauffman Stadium on July 10, 2012 (in addition to the 2012 Home Run Derby , All-Star Futures Game and Taco Bell All-Star Legends and Celebrity Softball Game during the All-Star break), which

8208-407: The AL Central. The Royals reached the top of the division standings on August 11, after winning their eighth game in a row. This marked the latest date the Royals had led their division since August 29, 2003. The team retained its division lead for a month, before falling out of first-place permanently on September 12. They finished the 2014 regular season with a record 89–73, still the most wins for

8360-526: The American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays , the Royals eventually rallied to win the series 4–3, highlighted by a go-ahead 3-run triple from Jim Sundberg against Blue Jay's ace Dave Stieb in Game 7. In the 1985 World Series (nicknamed the "I-70 Series" because the two teams are both located in the state of Missouri and connected by Interstate 70 ) against the cross-state St. Louis Cardinals ,

8512-577: The Bible study. According to the accounts of people who talked to survivors, when Roof walked into the historic African-American church, he immediately asked for Pinckney and sat down next to him, initially listening to others during the study. He disagreed with some of the discussion of Scripture . After other participants began praying, he stood up, and aimed a gun he pulled from a fanny pack at 87-year-old Susie Jackson. Jackson's nephew, 26-year-old Tywanza Sanders, tried to talk him down and asked him why he

8664-631: The Carolina League, the name historically used by the regional circuit prior to the 2021 reorganization, and was reclassified as a Single-A circuit. Baseball has a long history in the Palmetto State dating back to 1862. Union soldiers from the 165th New York Infantry competed against soldiers of the 47th and 48th New York Infantries on Christmas Day 1862. After the Civil War the game of baseball exploded in Charleston. From 1866 to 1886

8816-569: The Confederacy . Following these murders, the South Carolina General Assembly voted to remove the flag from State Capitol grounds and a wave of Confederate monument or memorial removals followed shortly thereafter . Founded in 1816, the church has played an important role in the history of South Carolina , including the slavery era and Reconstruction , the civil rights movement , and Black Lives Matter . It

8968-497: The Cubs and Blue Jays for free agent righty Gil Meche , signing him to a five-year, $ 55 million contract, the largest contract in Royals history. Reliever Octavio Dotel also inked a one-year, $ 5 million contract. The team also added several new prospects, including Alex Gordon and Billy Butler . Among Dayton Moore 's first acts as General Manager was instating a new motto for the team: "True. Blue. Tradition." In June 2007,

9120-479: The Giants 10–0. In game seven, the Royals started Jeremy Guthrie against Giants pitcher Tim Hudson . Guthrie lasted 3 + 1 ⁄ 3 innings before he was replaced by Kelvin Herrera , who himself lasted 2 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings. He was then replaced by Wade Davis , who pitched in two innings. Closer Greg Holland ended the game. On the Giants side, Hudson lasted only 1 + 2 ⁄ 3 innings before he

9272-574: The Greater Kansas City Community Foundation and Affiliated Trusts with operating decisions of the team decided by a five-member group chaired by Wal-Mart executive David Glass . According to the plan the Royals had six years to find a local owner for the team before opening ownership to an outside bidder. The new owners would be required to say they would keep the team in Kansas City. Kauffman had feared that new owners would move it noting, "No one would want to buy

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9424-648: The Holy City would be home to over 100 individual black and white baseball clubs. The first organized team in Charleston was the Palmetto Baseball Club of Charleston with Mr. A.W. Wardell selected as president. The first official game took place at the Citadel Green (Marion Square) on May 23, 1866, when the club split into separate teams to play. The Charleston Seagulls became the first professional baseball team to play in Charleston. The team

9576-447: The National League won 8–0. The 2012 season marked the third time the " Midsummer Classic " was held in Kansas City. On December 10, 2012, in an attempt to strengthen the pitching staff (which was among the worst in baseball in 2012), the Royals traded for Rays pitchers James Shields and Wade Davis , giving Tampa top prospects Wil Myers , Jake Odorizzi , Mike Montgomery , and Patrick Leonard in return. This trade helped catalyze

9728-418: The Pals created excitement around Charleston as they won the South Atlantic League title, but due to unknown reasons the Pals folded at the end of the season, and that lead to a 16-year baseball drought in Charleston. Finally in 1940, a new team began play in the South Atlantic League known as the Charleston Rebels . Just two years later, in 1942, the Rebels won the South Atlantic League Championship ending

9880-993: The Pirates pitcher Randy Sealy set a team record with a 1.97 ERA. However, after those promising years, the Pirates set a league record by losing 22 straight games. In 1976 and 1977, the Pirates became the Patriots , but the name change still had no effect on the team's play as the team failed to post a winning record and watched attendance plunge. Finally, in 1978 the Pirates left town. Note: W = Wins, L = Losses Pitchers Catchers Infielders Outfielders Manager Coaches 60-day injured list [REDACTED] 7-day injured list * On Tampa Bay Rays 40-man roster ~ Development list # Rehab assignment ∞ Reserve list ‡ Restricted list § Suspended list † Temporarily inactive list Roster updated September 18, 2024 Transactions → More rosters: MiLB  •  Carolina League → Tampa Bay Rays minor league players A number of ex-RiverDogs have gone on to make

10032-728: The Rainbows; and David Cone and Danny Jackson who played for the Charleston Royals. Notable players who have worn the Charleston uniform prior to the current incarnation of the franchise include Baseball Hall of Famer Kiki Cuyler as well as Maurice "Flash" Archdeacon , John Candelaria , Larry Cheney ; Dave Dravecky , Steve Farr , Sam Hairston , Odell Jones , Junior Ortiz , Tony Pena , Pascual Perez , George Pipgras , Don Robinson , Willie Randolph , Rip Sewell , Frank Thomas , Al Weis , and Ed Whitson . Kansas City Royals The Kansas City Royals are an American professional baseball team based in Kansas City, Missouri . The Royals compete in Major League Baseball (MLB) as

10184-437: The RiverDogs as fans had hoped, because the RiverDogs fell to eventual champion the Kannapolis Intimidators two games to none. At the end of the 2005 season, Charleston was making an attempt to attract a Class Double-A team by expanding their stadium by a few hundred seats. 2006 saw a good performance on the field, but no playoffs as the RiverDogs posted a 78–62 record. 2007 saw a record year for winning seasons when they finished

10336-418: The RiverDogs leave the 84-year-old College Park and move into the brand-new 5,500-seat Joseph P. Riley Jr. Park . The team also began its eight-year affiliation with the Tampa Bay Rays in 1997. The move to the "Joe" helped to spur a rise in total attendance, as the team set a record with an increase in over 100,000 fans. In 1998, the RiverDogs were the first professional baseball team to broadcast live video on

10488-437: The Royals adopted their iconic " powder blue " road uniforms and moved from Municipal Stadium to the brand-new Royals Stadium (now known as Kauffman Stadium). The 1973 All-Star Game was hosted at Royals Stadium, with Otis and Mayberry in the AL starting lineup. The event was previously held at Municipal Stadium in 1960 , when the Athletics were based in Kansas City. Manager Whitey Herzog replaced McKeon in 1975 , and

10640-443: The Royals again fell behind, three games to one. After Danny Jackson pitched the Royals to a 6–1 win in game five, the Cardinals and Royals headed back to Kansas City for game six. Facing elimination, the Royals trailed 1–0 in the bottom of the 9th inning, when Jorge Orta led off, hitting a bouncing ground ball to Cardinals 1st basemen Jack Clark , who flipped the ball back to pitcher Todd Worrell at first base. The ball beat Orta to

10792-550: The Royals did not qualify to play in the MLB postseason , one of the longest postseason droughts during baseball's current wild-card era. The team broke this streak in 2014 by securing the franchise's first wild card berth and advancing to the 2014 World Series , where they lost to the San Francisco Giants in seven games. The Royals, led by players like Salvador Perez , Alex Gordon , Johnny Cueto , Danny Duffy , Eric Hosmer , Mike Moustakas , Lorenzo Cain , and an elite group of bullpen pitchers, followed this up by winning

10944-554: The Royals had their first winning month since July 2003 and followed it up with a winning July. The Royals finished the season 69–93, but 2007 marked the club's first season with fewer than 100 losses since 2003. Manager Buddy Bell resigned following the 2007 season. The Royals hired Trey Hillman , formerly the manager of the Nippon Ham Fighters and a minor league manager with the New York Yankees , to be

11096-432: The Royals quickly became the dominant franchise in the American League's Western Division. After a second-place, 91 win season, they won three straight division championships from 1976 to 1978, including the franchise's only 100-win season in 1977 . However, the Royals lost to the New York Yankees in three straight American League Championship Series encounters. After the Royals finished in second place in 1979, Herzog

11248-401: The Royals reduced payroll by trading pitcher David Cone and outfielder Brian McRae , then continued their salary dump in the 1995 season. The team payroll, which had previously remained among the league's highest, was sliced in half from $ 40.5 million in 1994 (fourth-highest in the major leagues) to $ 18.5 million in 1996 (second-lowest in the major leagues). As attendance slid and

11400-502: The Royals since 1989 . Though the team finished one game behind Detroit in the AL Central, the Royals secured their first-ever wild card berth. After qualifying for the postseason, the Royals embarked on a record-setting eight-game winning streak. They hosted the Oakland Athletics in the 2014 American League Wild Card Game and won 9–8 on a Salvador Pérez walk-off single in the 12th inning, having earlier rallied back from

11552-594: The Southern Division and Kevin Seitzer was named league MVP. In 1985, the team was renamed the Charleston Rainbows and became affiliated with the San Diego Padres . From 1985 to 1987 were the building years as the Rainbows improved each season under a great pitching staff until 1988 when they won the Southern Division title but were bounced in the first round of the playoffs. The 1988 season

11704-542: The United States . In 1996, Congress had passed the Church Arson Prevention Act, which considers the damaging of religious property a federal crime because of its "racial or ethnic character", in response to a spate of 154 suspicious church burnings which had occurred since 1991. More recent arson attacks against black churches included a black church in Massachusetts that was burned down

11856-499: The attack and said he wanted to start a race war . He reportedly told investigators he almost did not complete his plan because members of the church group had been so nice to him. On June 19, Roof was charged with nine counts of murder and one count of possession of a firearm during the commission of a violent crime. He first appeared in Charleston County court via videoconference at a bond hearing later that day. At

12008-472: The average MLB salary continued to rise, rather than pay higher salaries or lose their players to free agency, the Royals traded their remaining stars such as Kevin Appier , Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye . By 1999, the team's payroll had fallen again to $ 16.5 million. Making matters worse, most of the younger players that the Royals received in exchange for these All-Stars proved of little value, setting

12160-472: The bag, but umpire Don Denkinger called him safe, and following a dropped popup by Clark and a passed ball, the Royals rallied to score two runs, winning on a walk-off single from pinch hitter Dane Iorg to send the series to game seven. In game seven Bret Saberhagen shutout the Cardinals as Kansas City dominated the Cardinals 11–0, clinching their first title in franchise history. The Royals maintained

12312-408: The charge during the background check examination. However, he was actually arrested on a misdemeanor drug charge, which was incorrectly written as a felony at first due to a data entry error made by a jail clerk. The mistake was noticed by the jail two days after the arrest, but the change was not made. The FBI agent conducting the background check examination then called the wrong agency while making

12464-519: The church and distributed to the media. She later recalled, "I got closer and saw that haircut. I was nervous. I had the worst feeling. Is that him or not him?" She called her employer, who contacted local police, and then tailed the suspect's car for 35 miles (56 km) until she was certain authorities were moving in for an arrest. At 10:44 a.m., Roof was captured in a traffic stop in Shelby, North Carolina , approximately 245 miles (394 km) from

12616-455: The church was his primary target because he told us he was going for the school. But I think he couldn't get into [sic] the school because of the security ... so I think he just settled for the church." Roof's cellphone and computer were seized and analyzed by the FBI. According to unnamed officials, he was in online communication with other white supremacists, who did not appear to have encouraged

12768-465: The city in 1834, the congregation met in secret until 1865 when it was formally reorganized, and it acquired the name Emanuel ("God with us"). It was rebuilt based on a design which was drawn by Denmark Vesey's son. That structure was badly damaged in the 1886 Charleston earthquake . The current building dates from 1891. The church's senior pastor, the Rev. Clementa C. Pinckney , had held rallies after

12920-500: The day after the first inauguration of Barack Obama in 2009. At around 9:05 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 17, 2015, the Charleston Police Department began receiving calls of a shooting at Emanuel AME Church. Dylann S. Roof, a man described as white, with sandy-brown hair, around 21 years old and 5 feet 9 inches (175 cm) in height, wearing a gray sweatshirt and jeans, opened fire with

13072-666: The end of George Brett's career, such as his third and final batting title in 1990—which made him the first player to win batting titles in three different decades—and his 3,000th hit . In 1994, the Royals moved from the AL West to the newly created AL Central along with the Chicago White Sox and Minnesota Twins , joined by the Cleveland Indians and Milwaukee Brewers from the AL East . The Brewers left for

13224-498: The ensuing playoffs, the Royals incurred both a 2-0 and a 3–1 series deficit in both rounds of the playoffs, but always managed to claw their way back into the series. In game three of the American League Championship Series , with KC down 2 games to 0, George Brett homered twice and doubled off the fence in right field to put Kansas City back into the series. With the Royals down three games to one in

13376-478: The federal justice system. Roof espoused racial hatred in both a website manifesto which he published before the shooting, and a journal which he wrote from jail afterward. On his website, Roof posted photos of emblems which are associated with white supremacy , including a photo of the Confederate battle flag . The shooting triggered debates about modern display of the flag and other commemorations of

13528-467: The financial collapse of the Royals' companion expansion team, the Seattle Pilots , who had to begin play in 1969 before they were ready (the league required new franchises to enter in pairs to preserve symmetry for scheduling purposes). Pharmaceutical executive Ewing Kauffman won the bidding for the new Kansas City team. He conducted a contest to determine the best and most appropriate name for

13680-465: The first game against starter Madison Bumgarner . The Royals bounced back with a 7–2 win in game two to tie the series at 1–1. The Royals won game three in San Francisco 3–2 to take the series lead for the first time. In game four, the Royals lost 11–4, which tied the series with the Giants. In game five, they lost 5–0 to the Giants against starter Madison Bumgarner . In game six, the Royals beat

13832-527: The first time in 16 years. Charleston faced the hated rival Capital City in the first round but were swept two games to none. The RiverDogs became the Class Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees on September 15, 2004. 2005 was another great season as the Riverdogs jumped out winning the first-half Southern Division Championship qualifying them for the playoffs for the first consecutive seasons in franchise history. The 2005 playoffs weren't as good to

13984-533: The former Kansas City Monarchs of the Negro National League . In 1968, the team held a name-the-team contest that received more than 17,000 entries. Sanford Porte, a bridge engineer from the suburb of Overland Park, Kansas , was named the winner for his “Royals” entry. His reason had nothing to do with royalty. “Kansas City’s new baseball team should be called the Royals because of Missouri’s billion-dollar livestock income, Kansas City’s position as

14136-556: The franchise's final three wins of the 1985 Series, the third-longest multi-year postseason streak in baseball history. The Royals faced the San Francisco Giants in the 2014 World Series . They had home-field advantage, due to the American League 's win in the 2014 All-Star Game . After setting an AL record by winning eight straight games to reach the World Series, the Royals opened the series by losing 7–1 in

14288-413: The handle) on third baseman George Brett's bat after he had hit a two-run home run off Gossage that put the Royals up 5–4 in the top of the 9th. After Yankee Manager Billy Martin came out of the dugout to talk to home plate umpire Tim McClelland , McClelland and the other umpires mulled over the bat (measuring it over home plate, touching it, etc.). McClelland then pointed to Brett in the dugout and gave

14440-457: The hearing, prosecutors introduced into evidence a two-page excerpt from a journal written by Roof from jail six weeks after his arrest, in which Roof composed a white supremacist manifesto, writing: "I would like to make it crystal clear, I do not regret what I did. I am not sorry. I have not shed a tear for the innocent people I killed." Roof was sentenced to death by the federal court on January 10, 2017, and to life in prison without parole by

14592-420: The hearing, shooting survivors and relatives of five of the victims spoke to Roof directly, saying that they were "praying for his soul" and forgave him. The judge, Charleston County chief magistrate James "Skip" Gosnell, Jr., said at the bond hearing that, in addition to the dead victims and their families, "there are victims on this young man's side of the family ... Nobody would have ever thrown them into

14744-510: The history of Major League Baseball. In the second ALCS game, the Royals again beat the Orioles 6–4, behind Lorenzo Cain 's four hits, including an RBI single. After game three, the ALCS was delayed one day due to rainy weather, when the Royals hosted the Orioles at Kauffman Stadium on October 14, 2014. Pitcher Jeremy Guthrie allowed only one run as KC beat the Orioles 2–1, taking a 3–0 lead in

14896-462: The incident, he read about it, concluding that George Zimmerman had been in the right. He did not understand the controversy about it. He said he searched for "black on White [ sic ] crime" on Google and found the website of the Council of Conservative Citizens , where he read "pages upon pages" of cases involving black people murdering white people. Roof wrote that he had "never been

15048-571: The infielders Eric Hosmer , Mike Moustakas , Johnny Giavotella , and catchers Salvador Pérez and Manny Piña . Hosmer won the AL Rookie of the Month award in July and September and finished the season with 19 home runs. Moustakas collected a fifteen-game hitting streak, which tied the longest such streak by a Royals rookie. The Royals finished the 2011 season with a 71–91 record, in fourth place in

15200-402: The internet, and the first team to broadcast video of their entire home season. Finally, in 2000 the 'Dogs posted their first winning season since 1988. In 2003 saw the beginning of a new era as the RiverDogs played well on the field and posted a winning season for the first time since 2000. In 2004 the RiverDogs secured the wildcard spot in the playoffs bringing Charleston a playoff series for

15352-423: The last time Charleston won a championship. After that memorable season, the Rebels declined and couldn't post a winning season. With fans losing interest the Rebels folded at the end of the 1953 season. In 1959, baseball returned to Charleston, but this time the team was affiliated with a Major League Baseball Team, the Chicago White Sox . The experiment failed horribly as attendance was down by more than 50% and

15504-470: The massacre at the church, and referred to the rhetoric of 2016 presidential candidate Donald Trump . On July 7, Roof was indicted on the nine murder charges and the weapons charge, as well three new charges of attempted murder, one for each person who survived the shooting. He also faced federal hate crime charges, including nine counts of using a firearm to commit murder and 24 civil rights violations (12 hate crime charges and 12 counts of violating

15656-461: The massacre. The investigation was said to have widened to include other persons of interest. Federal prosecutors said in August 2016 that Roof was "self-radicalized" online, instead of adopting his white supremacist ideology "through his personal associations or experiences with white supremacist groups or individuals or others". The attack was treated as a hate crime by police. Officials from

15808-589: The months before the attack. According to then FBI Director James Comey , a police report detailing Roof's admission to a narcotics offense should have prevented him from purchasing the weapon used in the shooting. An administrative error within the National Instant Criminal Background Check System (NICS) excluded Roof's admission (though not the arrest itself) from appearing on his mandatory background check. His Facebook page included an image of Roof wearing

15960-446: The nation’s leading stocker and feeder market and the nationally known American Royal parade and pageant,” Porte wrote. The team's board voted 6–1 on the name, with the only opposition coming from team owner Ewing Kauffman , who eventually changed his vote and said the name had grown on him. Entering the American League in 1969 along with the Seattle Pilots , the club was founded by Kansas City businessman Ewing Kauffman. The franchise

16112-485: The new franchise. Sanford Porte from Overland Park, Kansas submitted the name Royals, in recognition of Missouri's billion-dollar livestock industry. His suggestion was that the American Royal best exemplified Kansas City through its pageantry and parade, so the new team should be named the Royals. The name was selected out of 17,000 submissions and the Royals Board voted 6–1 to adopt the name. The one dissenting vote

16264-457: The new manager for the 2010 season. With the RiverDogs on the verge of making the playoffs each of the last four seasons, expectations were high for Colbrunn. The day following the 2015 Charleston church shooting , the RiverDogs decided to proceed with their regularly scheduled game, with Dave Echols, the team's general manager , saying: "We feel it is our duty not to let the acts of one radical human being dictate our lives". The RiverDogs donated

16416-406: The only survivor." According to the son of one victim, who spoke to that survivor, Roof allegedly turned the gun to his own head and pulled the trigger, but discovered he was out of ammunition. He left the church, reportedly after making another "racially inflammatory statement" over the victims' bodies. The entire shooting lasted for approximately six minutes. Several hours later, a bomb threat

16568-446: The organization felt it was still missing a few necessary pieces to give its divisional rival Oakland Athletics a run for their money. So prior to the 1990 season, the Royals acquired Mark Davis , the 1989 National League Cy Young Award-winner and league leader in saves , signing him to a 4-year, $ 13 million contract (the largest annual salary in baseball history at the time). The Royals also signed starting pitcher Storm Davis , who

16720-410: The pitching as pitcher Danny Jackson led the league with a 10–1 record and slugger Cliff Pastornicky paced the South Atlantic League with a .343 batting average. In 1983 Mark Pirruccello set a single-season team record with 25 home runs. 1984 was an exciting season for Charleston as the city hosted the all-star game in which Tom Glavine and Pat Borders played. On the field the Royals went on to win

16872-512: The playoffs, finishing second in their division behind the eventual World Series champion Oakland Athletics. At the end of the 1989 season, the team boasted a powerhouse pitching rotation, including the AL Cy Young Award -winner Bret Saberhagen (who set franchise record 23 wins that year), two-time All-Star Mark Gubicza (a 15-game winner in 1989) and 1989 AL Rookie of the Year runner-up Tom Gordon (who won 17 games that year). But

17024-708: The proceeds of the night's game to the charity set up for the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church . On November 7, 2020, the Yankees announced that Charleston would not be part of their minor league organization under the restructuring of Minor League Baseball for 2021. Instead, they were organized into the Low-A East as the Low-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays . In 2022, the Low-A East became known as

17176-450: The process again until November 21. Gergel later postponed the jury selection to November 28. On November 28, a federal judge granted a motion by Roof to represent himself. On December 4, Roof made a handwritten request of Gergel, asking for his defense team for the guilt phase of his federal death penalty trial. On December 5, 2016, Gergel allowed Roof to hire back his lawyers for the guilt phase of his trial. On December 6, 2016,

17328-786: The race of the majority of its parishioners). Roof, a stranger to churchgoers, was easily able to enter Emanuel AME Church with no questions asked. In the weeks after the shooting, AME Church leaders distributed a document titled "12 Considerations for Congregational Security", which recommended that they create security plans and teams for black churches, improve communications, develop relationships with local law enforcement, and secure and monitor all entrances to and exits from churches. Some churches considered hiring armed security guards and installing metal detectors, but conversations in support of these steps have currently not gained traction. The FBI investigated possible church arson after several black churches burned down in one week's time following

17480-589: The same since that day". According to web server logs, Roof's website was last modified at 4:44 p.m. on June 17, the day of the shooting, when Roof noted, "[A]t the time of writing I am in a great hurry." An unidentified source said interrogations with Roof after his arrest determined he had been planning the attack for around six months. He had researched Emanuel AME Church, and targeted it because of its role in African-American history . A friend who briefly hid Roof's gun from him said, "I don't think

17632-517: The season with a 78–62 record and securing their fifth consecutive winning season tying a Charleston professional baseball record with the Sea Gulls (1914–1917, 1919) (No team in 1918). A downside to the record tying season was that the 'Dogs failed to make the playoffs for the second straight season. 2008 brought a memorable year to Charleston, as the Riverdogs recorded their final record at 80–59 bringing their sixth consecutive winning season, breaking

17784-495: The series. In game four, the Royals completed the sweep of the Orioles with another 2–1 win to advance to the World Series for the first time since 1985 . The win marked the team's eighth consecutive postseason win in one year, breaking a major league record previously held by the Colorado Rockies in 2007 and Cincinnati Reds in 1976 . It also marked the Royals' 11th win in a row overall in postseason play, dating back to

17936-530: The shooting scene. A .45-caliber pistol was found in the car during the arrest. Roof waived his extradition rights and was flown to Sheriff Al Cannon Detention Center in North Charleston on the evening of June 18. At the jail, his cell-block neighbor was Michael Slager, the former North Charleston police officer charged with murder after shooting Walter Scott following a traffic stop. According to unconfirmed reports, Roof confessed to committing

18088-491: The shooting unharmed, including Felicia Sanders, mother of slain victim Tywanza Sanders, and her five-year-old granddaughter, as well as Polly Sheppard, a Bible study member. Pinckney's wife and youngest daughter were inside the building during the shooting, but were in the pastor's office with the door locked. A tenth victim was also injured in the event. Those killed were identified as: The victims were later collectively referred to as "The Emanuel Nine". Dylann Storm Roof

18240-463: The shooting. On July 3, Time reported that the investigation concluded that the fires were unrelated. The FBI underwent a 30-day review to examine the lapses in the background-check system that allowed the suspected shooter to legally purchase the gun used in the shooting. According to James Comey , Roof had been arrested in March on a felony drug charge, which would have required an inquiry into

18392-628: The specter of black rape." He cited the Tulsa race riot of 1921, the Rosewood massacre of 1923, and the murder of 14-year-old Emmett Till in 1955 as examples. Beirich said that early in the investigation, it was unclear if the suspect had any connection to hate groups . She noted that "for several years South Carolina has been the place with the highest density of hate groups ." At Morris Brown African Methodist Episcopal Church in Charleston, numerous people of different races and religions attended

18544-559: The stage for an extended downward spiral. Indeed, the Royals set a franchise-low with a .398 winning percentage (64–97 record) in 1999, and lost 97 games again in 2001. In the middle of this era, in 1997, the Royals declined the opportunity to switch to the National League as part of a realignment plan to introduce the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays as expansion teams. The Milwaukee Brewers made

18696-667: The state courts on April 10, 2017. Heidi Beirich, the director of the Intelligence Project for the Southern Poverty Law Center , a non-profit that seeks to identify American hate groups and confront their activities, said that the gunman's reported motive has frequently appeared on white supremacist websites. They say that "whites are being hugely victimized by blacks and no one is paying attention". Referring to Roof's comments about rape , Beirich said, "[Black men sexually assaulting white women]

18848-480: The study, survived the shooting by pretending to be dead on the floor. Dot Scott, president of the local branch of the NAACP , said she had heard from victims' relatives that Roof spared one woman (Polly Sheppard), saying that she could tell other people what happened. He asked, "Did I shoot you?" She replied, "No." Then, he said, "Good, 'cause we need someone to survive, because I'm gonna shoot myself, and you'll be

19000-483: The sweep at home, winning 8–3 in game three and advancing to the 2014 American League Championship Series against the Baltimore Orioles . In the opening game of the ALCS on October 11, 2014, the Royals defeated the Orioles 8–6, with two home runs in the 10th inning. Thus, in eight extra innings over five postseason games in 2014, they succeeded in hitting four homers in extra innings, more than any team in

19152-419: The switch instead. In 2002 , the Royals set a new team record for futility, losing 100 games for the first time in franchise history. They fired manager Tony Muser , and he was replaced by Tony Peña . The 2003 season saw a temporary end to the losing, when manager Tony Peña, in his first full season with the club, guided the team to its first winning record (83–79) since 1994 and finished in third place in

19304-540: The team lost at least 90 games. The worst seasons came in 2004–2006, when the Royals lost at least 100 games each year and set the franchise's all-time record for losses (56–106 in 2005 ). Picked by many to win their division in 2004 after faring well in the free agent market, the Royals got off to a disappointing start and by late June were back in a rebuilding mode, releasing veteran reliever Curtis Leskanic and trading veteran reliever Jason Grimsley and superstar center fielder Carlos Beltrán for prospects, all within

19456-520: The team's first AL Central division title in 2015 and defeating the New York Mets in five games in the 2015 World Series to win their second World Series championship . From 1969 to 2024, the Royals have an all time win–loss record of 4,208–4,623 (.477). Entering the 2023 season, the team is valued at US$ 1.2 billion, placing them 27th out of MLB's 30 teams. Since 2019, the team has been owned by majority owner John Sherman , amongst many other Kansas City business owners and entrepreneurs. When

19608-473: The team. This was the minimum amount Kauffman had stipulated the team could be sold for. MLB rejected Prentice's first bid without specifying any reason. In a final round of bids on March 13, 2000, the Foundation voted to accept Glass' bid of $ 96 million, rejecting Prentice's revised bid of $ 115 million. During the interregnum under Foundation ownership, the team declined. In the 1994 season,

19760-443: The third player in Royals history to receive the award. The Royals began the 2010 season with a rocky start, and after the team's record fell to 12–23, manager Trey Hillman was fired. Former Milwaukee Brewers skipper Ned Yost took over as the 16th manager in franchise history, At the end of the 2010 season, the Royals finished with a 67–95 record, in last place in the division for the sixth time in seven years. The Royals also set

19912-509: The third time in four seasons that the team reestablished the mark for worst record in franchise history. The season also saw the Royals lose 19 games in a row, a franchise record. During the season manager Tony Peña quit and was replaced by interim manager Bob Schaefer until the Indians' bench coach Buddy Bell was chosen as the next manager. Looking for a quick turnaround, general manager Allard Baird signed several veteran players prior to

20064-513: The time, it was the deadliest mass shooting at a place of worship in U.S. history and is the deadliest mass shooting in South Carolina history . Dylann Roof , a 21-year-old white supremacist , had attended the Bible study before opening fire. He was found to have targeted members of this church because of its history and status. In December 2016, Roof was convicted of 33 federal hate crime and murder charges. On January 10, 2017, he

20216-436: The trial was postponed again to an unknown date. Both Roof and his friend, Joey Meek, (who was accused of misprision of felony and lying to investigators about Roof's plans), were to reappear in federal court on February 11, 2016, while their lawyers held a bar meeting with prosecutors to discuss their cases. On November 7, 2016, U.S. District Judge Richard Gergel postponed jury selection until November 9, later postponing

20368-582: The whirlwind of events that they are being thrown into." The judge was reported to have been reprimanded in 2005 by the South Carolina Supreme Court for using a racial slur while on the bench in 2003. Gosnell set a $ 1 million bond for the weapons possession charge and no bail on the nine counts of murder. Governor Nikki Haley called on prosecutors to seek the death penalty against Roof. In June 2016 she warned against divisive rhetoric, saying that it could lead to tragedies such as

20520-502: The year with a final record of 65–97, in a tie for fourth place in the AL Central. The season was highlighted by starter Zack Greinke , who did not allow an earned run in the first 24 innings of the season, went on to finish the year with a Major League-leading 2.16 earned run average , and won the American League Cy Young Award. Greinke joined Bret Saberhagen (in 1985 and 1989) and David Cone (in 1994) as only

20672-593: The young pitching staff of Saberhagen, Gubicza, Charlie Leibrandt , Black and Jackson. The Royals were then swept by the Detroit Tigers in the American League Championship Series . The Tigers went on to win the World Series . In the 1985 regular season the Royals topped the Western Division for the sixth time in ten years, led by Bret Saberhagen's Cy Young Award -winning performance and George Brett's self-described best "all around year." Throughout

20824-439: Was sentenced to death for those crimes. Roof was separately charged with nine counts of murder in the South Carolina state courts . In April 2017, Roof pleaded guilty to all nine state charges in order to avoid receiving a second death sentence, and as a result, he was sentenced to life imprisonment without the possibility of parole. He will receive automatic appeals of his death sentence, but he may eventually be executed by

20976-564: Was Kauffman's. He eventually changed his mind after the name grew on him. (Some sources say it was in honor of the Kansas City Monarchs , a Negro leagues team.) The team's logo, a crown atop a shield with the letters "KC" inside the shield, was created by Shannon Manning, an artist at Hallmark Cards , based in Kansas City. The Royals began play in 1969 in Kansas City, Missouri . In their inaugural game, on April 8, 1969,

21128-589: Was also significant because it remains the most-watched game in World Series history with a television audience of 54.9 million viewers. In July 1983, while the Royals were headed for a second-place finish behind the Chicago White Sox another chapter in the team's rivalry with the New York Yankees occurred. In what has come to be known as "the Pine Tar Incident ", umpires discovered illegal placement of pine tar (more than 18 inches up

21280-493: Was attacking churchgoers. The shooter said, "I have to do it. You rape our women and you're taking over our country. And you have to go." When Roof said he intended to shoot them all, Sanders dove in front of Jackson and was shot first. Roof fired at the other victims, shouting racial epithets . He reportedly said, "Y'all want something to pray about? I'll give you something to pray about." Roof reloaded his gun five times. Sanders' mother and his five-year-old niece, who also attended

21432-572: Was called into the Courtyard by Marriott hotel on Calhoun Street. This complicated the police investigation of the shooting, as they needed to evacuate the immediate area. The mortally wounded victims, six women and three men, were all African-American members of the AME Church. Eight died at the scene; the ninth, Daniel Simmons, died at MUSC Medical Center . They were all killed by multiple gunshots fired at close range. Five people survived

21584-522: Was coming off a career-high 19-game win season (third-best in the AL), to a three-year $ 6 million contract. Despite the promising off-season moves, the team suffered critical bullpen injuries while both newly signed Davises experienced lackluster seasons in 1990. The Royals concluded the season with a 75–86 record, in second-to-last place in the AL West (and with the worst franchise record since 1970). Bo Jackson—the team's potential future franchise player—suffered

21736-674: Was commissioned to create a portrait of Senator Pinckney after the murders in 2015. The portrait was unveiled in May 2016, and hangs in the South Carolina Senate chambers. Speakers at the unveiling included Senator Gerald Malloy , Representative Joseph Neal , Senate President Hugh Leatherman , Senator John W. Matthews Jr. , the widow, Mrs. Jennifer Pinckney, and the artist Larry Lebby himself. In 2020, Allen University in Columbia, South Carolina announced that their renovation of

21888-461: Was established following the actions of Stuart Symington , then- U.S. Senator from Missouri , who demanded a new franchise for the city after the Athletics (Kansas City's previous major league team that played from 1955 to 1967) moved to Oakland, California , in 1968. Since April 10, 1973, the Royals have played at Kauffman Stadium , formerly known as Royals Stadium. The new team quickly became

22040-619: Was fired and replaced by Jim Frey . Under Frey and a legendary .390 season from George Brett, the Royals rebounded in 1980 and advanced to the ALCS , where they again faced the Yankees . The Royals vanquished the Yankees in a three-game sweep punctuated by Brett's home run off of Yankees' star relief pitcher Goose Gossage . After reaching their first World Series , the Royals fell to the Philadelphia Phillies in six games. Game 6

22192-424: Was granted a team in the next round of expansion. Major League Baseball complied with a hasty round of expansion at the 1967 winter meetings. Kansas City was awarded one of four teams to begin play in 1971. However, Symington was not satisfied with having Kansas City wait three years for baseball to return, and pressured MLB to allow the new teams to start play in 1969. Symington's intervention may have contributed to

22344-611: Was held in the basketball arena of the College of Charleston on June 26, 2015, with President Barack Obama delivering the eulogy. Earlier, Pinckney's body lay in state in the South Carolina State House . This was followed by the funerals of Tywanza Sanders, Susie Jackson, and Cynthia Graham Hurd the next day. Hurd's family announced that they are establishing the Cynthia Graham Hurd Fund for Reading and Literacy organization in her memory; it

22496-435: Was named by the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as the suspected killer after his father and uncle contacted police to positively identify him upon seeing security photos of him in the news. Roof was born in Columbia, South Carolina , and was living in largely African-American Eastover at the time of the attack. Roof had a prior police record consisting of two arrests, for trespassing and drug possession, both made in

22648-412: Was named general manager. Schuerholz soon bolstered the farm system with pitchers Bud Black , Danny Jackson , Mark Gubicza , David Cone , and Bret Saberhagen , as well as hitters such as Kevin Seitzer . Thanks to the sudden and surprising maturation (specifically, in pitching) of most of the aforementioned players, the Royals won their fifth division championship in 1984, relying on Brett's bat and

22800-601: Was part of the newly formed Southern League and had a 22-man roster. The Seagulls first game was an exhibition game against the Louisville Colonels of the America Association on March 16, 1886. This was the first game ever to be played on their newly constructed "Ball Park Field" located at the corner of Meeting Street and Shepherd Street. The Seagulls ended up losing 5 to 7. The first official Southern League game took place on April 15, 1886, against

22952-423: Was powered by a pitching staff whose combined ERA equaled 2.07. 1988 was the last of the "good ol' days", because starting in 1989 the team suffered 11 consecutive losing seasons. Poor play on the field translated into a South Atlantic League record, when in 1990 pitcher Charles Thompson registered 17 losses. In 1994 the team was renamed Charleston RiverDogs . Despite the name change, the losing continued. In 1997 saw

23104-493: Was replaced by Jeremy Affeldt , who was later replaced by Madison Bumgarner . The Royals lost game seven, 3–2, with the tying run ( Alex Gordon ) on third base in the bottom of the ninth with two outs, when Salvador Pérez fouled out to Pablo Sandoval to end the game and the series. After earning a wild card entry to the playoffs in 2014 , in 2015 , the Royals won the franchise's first division title since 1985 and first Central division title ever. The Royals went on to win

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